James Franco directed an adaption of the Cormac McCarthy novel Child of God, which opens in some theaters on August 1. But Franco also wanted to adapt McCarthy’s novel Blood Meridian, and even Franco admits the book seems like an “un-filmable” novel. That didn’t stop him from trying, and a few years ago Franco shot a test reel for the project. This 25-minute reel features characters from the novel that fans will very much recognize. Notably, the Judge appears, played by Mark Pellegrino. The Kid is played by Dave Franco, and Scott Glen and Luke Perry show up, too, as Tobin and Glanton.

This is very much a test reel — a rough edit, and lacking any polished sound mix — but it’s interesting to see Franco explore this particular sequence at length. If this was ever made as a traditional feature, this whole sequence would likely be condensed in a significant fashion. Additionally, the cast here may not have ended up in the feature. Note to anyone unfamiliar with Blood Meridian: this is not safe for work. Read More »